3. The prohibition of lashon hara is regarding those that speak it occasionally. One who speaks lashon hara regularly is called a ‘ba’al lashon hara’, a habitual speaker of lashon hara, whose punishement is far greater.
4. One who speaks lashon hara freely, with no regard to this sin, our sages say about him that he is punished in this world, and has no portion in the world to come.